Quality of life in a European Perspective: The EUROMODULE as a New Instrument for Comparative Welfare Research

In this article, a new survey instrument for comparative welfare researchand social reporting is described, the EUROMODULE. It has been set up inintensive discussions among experts from several nations engaged inquality of life research and social reporting. By combining indicatorsof objective living conditions, subjective well-being, and quality ofsociety, with this new survey central aspects of the quality of life ofEuropean citizens can be investigated. The EUROMODULE initiative aimsat strengthening efforts to monitor and systematically analyze thecurrent state and the changes in living conditions and quality of lifein Europe in a comparative perspective. So far, data for eightEuropean countries are available.     

Welfare to Well-Being Transition

Welfare to well-being leads to better qualityof life for families and communities. Around the world, societies are experimenting and shifting policies that address welfare to well-being for families and communities. In the U.S., the greatest shift in several decades has occurred with thewelfare reform policies. These shifts haveplaced at issue the extent to which individualsand families and governments contribute toself-sufficiency and sustainability of theirmembers and the collective whole in society. The paper addresses: a framework for thinkingabout sustaining well-being in the context ofmaking transitions from welfare for the few towell-being for the many; a researchillustration of focus group findings on themeaning of self-sufficiency for families whoare currently receiving one type of welfare(food stamps); and the opportunities emergingin the context of the interaction of the familyand society at the community, state, nationaland global level that allows for a wholisticresponse to issues around well-being andquality of life studies.     

Does yoga engender fitness in older adults? A critical review

Interest in yoga is growing, especially among older adults. This review critically summarizes the current literature to investigate whether physical fitness and function benefits are engendered through the practice of yoga in older adults. A comprehensive search yielded 507 studies; 10 studies with 544 participants (69.6 ± 6.3 yr, 71% female) were included. Large variability in yoga styles and measurement outcomes make it challenging to interpret results across studies. Studies reported moderate improvements for gait (ES = 0.54, 0.80), balance (ES = 0.25-1.61), upper/lower body flexibility (ES = 0.25, 0.70), lower body strength (ES = 0.51), and weight loss (ES = 0.73, 0.99).Yoga may engender improvements in some components of fitness in older adults. However, more evidence is needed to determine its effectiveness as an alternative exercise to promote fitness in older adults. Further investigation into yoga as an exercise activity for older adults is warranted.     

A copula-based multivariate hidden Markov model for modelling momentum in football

AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis - We investigate the potential occurrence of change points—commonly referred to as “momentum shifts”—in the dynamics of football...     

Intensive gamblers on German-style slot-machines

Results of German-style slot-machine gambling are reported, stemming from seven individual surveys in representatively sampled households (N=7,643). The aim of the inquiry was the reexamination of studies of the number of gamblers in the population together with gambling hours spent per week by active gamblers. The results are largely identical with already known data. Of persons of voting age or older, 10.2% are active gamblers (4.6 million; having gambled at least once within the last 3 months). Of the active gamblers 0.7% are intensive gamblers (5 hours and more per week). These persons number approximately 32,000 in the Federal Republic of Germany, or from 12,000 to 71,000 (95% confidence interval). In addition to the frequency distributions, interactions with socio-demographic characteristics were examined, and an estimate was made for the prevalence of intensive gamblers with severe stress.This article was first published in Germany: Bühringer, G. & Konstanty, R., (1989) Vielsspieler an Geldautomaten in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Suchtgefahren 35, 1–13.     

Mammals in and around suburban yards,and the attraction of chicken coops

Urban areas are an important and growing land use class. Nearly 5 % of the world is covered with urban development and residential yards make up a large proportion of that area. Yards have unique but homogenous biological characteristics and are known to be rich with bird fauna, but little is known about backyard mammals. We used camera traps to sample mammal communities in backyards and urban woodlots in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, USA and related species activity to yard characteristics and levels of neighborhood development. We found a vibrant community of smaller herbivores and carnivores using residential yards in urban areas, but larger ungulates and carnivores were only detected on the urban fringe, or in woodlots. Backyard chicken coops were positively correlated with raccoon activity but were not positively correlated with other predators, suggesting that chicken coops are attracting raccoons, but not other predators, to yards. Fenced-in dogs were negatively correlated with most mammals suggesting that confined dogs keep mammals out of yards. Unfenced dogs and fences without dogs, showed a more varied relationship with mammal activity. These results show an encouraging sign of how humans can coexist with wildlife, even in urban areas, and suggest some strategies to minimize conflict regarding backyard chicken coops and dogs.     

The differential influence of geographic isolation on environmental migration: a study of internal migration amidst degrading conditions in the central Pacific

Population and Environment - This study investigates how geographic isolation interacts with declining environmental and economic conditions in Kiribati, an island nation wherein which limited...     

Multidimensional Analysis of Water Poverty and Subjective Well-Being: A Case Study on Local Household Variation in Faisalabad,Pakistan

Water poverty is difficult to evaluate because it is multidimensional. It is determined not only by the availability of water sources but also whether communities have adequate access to clean, uncontaminated water. It is also dependent on the resource needs of those using the water. Under the premise that water scarcity is multidimensional, we use a Water Poverty Index approach using Principal Component Analysis to develop an index at the household level in 10 villages in one large farming community to examine each household’s subjective view of well being as a result of water poverty. This paper reviews how water resources endowments and depletion because of indiscriminate disposal of untreated industrial wastewater, household sewage and climate change are posing serious threats to water poverty at the household level in developing agrarian economies like Pakistan. We report from our results that both the perceived level of pollution and the proximity to clean and polluted water sources matter significantly for subjective well-being in rural households of Pakistan. The villages closer to polluted water sources are unhappier while the villages, which have better access to fresh water, have relatively higher subjective well-being. A strong implementation of environmental protection measures and regional strategies are suggested to alleviate water poverty and increase subjective well-being in local communities.